Valerie Muzzolini Gordon (born in Nice, France) is the Principal Harpist of the Seattle Symphony.[1] She lives in Seattle, Washington, with her daughter.[2]
Valerie Muzzolini Gordon was born in Nice, France, and began playing the harp at the age of seven.[3] She began her study of music at the Conservatory of Nice and continued her studies at Curtis Institute of Music[4] with Marilyn Costello and Judy Loman. She studied with Nancy Allen while doing graduate work at Yale University.[5]
Gordon has been a member of the Seattle Symphony since 2000 and became Principal Harpist at the age of twenty-three. She is also a soloist and a guest principal harpist, and has performed with the Boston Symphony,[6] Oregon Symphony, Orchestre Philharmonique de Radio France, Nice Philharmonic, Philadelphia Orchestra, Seattle Symphony, Mariinsky Theatre Orchestra, and the Vancouver Symphony.[7] As a proponent of contemporary music and an active Chamber musician, she frequently performs with Music of Remembrance,[8] Seattle Chamber Players.[9] and the Seattle Chamber Music Society.[10] Gordon premiered a double concerto for violin and harp at the 2012 New Hampshire Music Festival.[11]
Gordon taught for several years at Cornish College of the Arts,[12] and is now an Artist in Residence at the University of Washington.[13] She taught at the Pacific Region International Summer Music Academy in June 2014, and will be returning for the 2015 program.[7]